Engine-starter.



J. F. RALEIGH. ENGINE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1913.

1, 1 01,957, Patented June 30,1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

JAMES F. RALEIGH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENGINESTARTER.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, James F. RALEIGH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in engine starters and has for its object the provision. of a device of this character which is of simple construction and efficient in operation, and which is arranged to automatically disconnect from the engine shaft upon reversal thereof due to baclnfiring, and thus prevent injury to the operator.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a mechanism embodying my invention, Fig. 2, a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a section taken on line :rm of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4, a view taken on line yg of Fig. 1.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a ratchet wheel 1 which is fixed to the engine shaft 2 in any suitable manner. A pawl arm 3 carries a pawl 4 adapted to engage ratchet wheel 1, said pawl arm being provided with a release arm 5, which is normally pressed outwardly by means of a spring 5 so as to press said pawl normally toward engaging position with said ratchet. Release arm 5 isarranged to engage a stop shoulder 6 suitably attached to the frame of the mechanlsm so that when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 8, said release arm will hold said pawl out of engagement with ratchet wheel 1. Mounted adjacent pawl arm ,3 is an operating m mber 7 which is provided with a flange 8 overhanging the periphery of pawl arm 3 and provided with a notch adapted to receive the head of a spring held pin 9 as shown in Fig. 3, said spring held pin 9 being provided with an inclined surface 9 which engages a similarly inclined side of said notch, said inclination being made such that the connection formed by said pin and notch will hold under normal conditions of use, but in case of a sudden shock due to back-firing of the engine,

-medium of a bell crank 12.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgntgfl June 3Q 1914 Application filed April 9, 1913.

Serial No. 759,907.

disengage from the notch and thus disconnect operating member "7 from pawl arm 3. Operating member 7 carries a segmental gear 10 which inter-meshes with a reciprocatoryrack bar 11 connected for operation by a manually operable lever 13 through the The mechanism disclosed is especially adapted for use on automobiles and in such application of the construction, the lever 13 is arranged in convenient position for operation by the driver of the automobile. By this arrangement it will be observed that upon actuation of lever 13 rack bar 11 will be moved to cause rotation of operating member 7. Operating member 7 being connected with pawl arm 3 causes operation thereof in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 3. This movement withdraws release arm 5 from shoulder 6 and permits pawl at to engage ratchet wheel 1 thus causing rotation of the en ine shaft and the consequent starting of the engine as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. In case of back-firing of the en ine and consequent reversal of the engine shaft, the sudden shock imposed upon the pin 9 causes surfaces 9 to cooperate to expel said pin from its notch and release the connection between operating member '7 and pawl arm 3, thus preventing mJury to the operator. Upon release from operating member 7, pawl arm 3 travels reversely with ratchet wheel 1 and engine shaft 2 until re lease arm 5 strikes shoulder ,6 whereupon said pawl is released from said ratchet and the engine shaft permitted to turn reversely. Upon return of lever 13 to normal position the under surface of flange '8, which is inclined for the purpose, engages pin 9 depressing the same and causing its automatic entry into its notch as will be readily understood. The usual crank 14 is also provided and has the usual releasing connections with the actuation shaft, said construction being old and well known and constituting no part of my invention and needs no further description here.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but

desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as oo 'ie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an engine shaft, of a ratchet wheel. connected to operate said shaft; a pawl arm adjacent said ratchet wheel; a pawl on said arm adapted to engage said ratchet wheel; a rotatable operating member adjacent said pawl arm; a re leasable connection between said member and said pawl arm adapted to hold under normal conditions but release under a sudden shock; and manually operable means for actuating said operating member, sub stantially as described.

2. The combination with an engine shaft, of a ratchet wheel adapted to operate said shaft; a pawl arm adjacent said ratchet wheel; a pawl on said arm adapted to engage said ratchet wheel; a rotatable operating member adjacent said pawl arm; a releasable spring held pin connection between said member and said pawl arm. adapted to hold under normal conditions but release under a sudden shock; and manually operable means for actuatin said operating member, substantially as cescribed.

3. The combination with an engine shaft, of a ratchet wheel connected to operate said shaft; a pawl arm adjacent said ratchet wheel; a pawl on said arm adapted to engage said ratchet wheel; a rotatable operating member adjacent said pawl arm; a re leasable connection between said member and said pawl arm adapted to hold under normal conditions but release under a sudden shock; a gear connected to actuate said operating member; a rack bar interi'neshing with said gear; and a lever connected to op crate said rack bar substantially as described.

l. The combination with an engine shaft, of a ratchet wheel adapted to operate said shaft; a pawl arm adjacent said ratchet wheel; a pawl on said arm adapted to en gage said ratchet wheel; a rotatable operating member adjacent said pawl arm; relcasable spring held pin connection between. said member and said. pawl arm adapted to hold under normal .conditions but release under a sudden shock; a gear connected. to

actuate said operating member; a rack bar intermeshing with said gear; and a lever connected to operate said rack bar, subsh-mtially as described.

The combination with an. engine shaft, of a ratchet wheel adapted to operate said shaft; a pawl arm adjacent said ratchet wheel; a pawl on said arm adapted to engage said ratchet wheel; a rotatable operating member adjacent said pawl arm; a re leasable spring held pin connection between said member and said pawl arm adapted to hold under normal conditions but release under a sudden shock, said pin being provided with an inclined engaging surface engaging a similarly inclined surface for this purpose; and manually operable means for actuating said operating member, substantially as described.

6. The combination with an engine shaft, of a ratchet wheel adapted to operate said shaft; a pawl arm adjacent said ratchet wheel; a pawl. on said. arm adapted to en gage said. ratchet wheel; a rotatable operat ing member adjacent said pawl arm; a re leasable spring held pin connection between said member and said pawl arm adapted to hold under normal conditions but release under a sudden shock, said pin being provided with an inclined engaging surface engaging a similarly inclined surface for this purpose; a gear connected to actuate said operating member; a rack bar intermeshing with said gear; and a lever connected to operate said rack bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l. have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. RALEIGH.

lVitnesses 2 JosHUA R. H. Porrs, A. A. OLSON.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

